To Build a Home
by Call Me Tom
Summary: When Trisha Elric and Van Hohenheim move to Xing to start a new life and raise their child, they didn't really expect to be thrown head-first into their political system. With treachery, betrothals, ninjas and Emperors; finding their feet and by-passing culture shock is not going to be easy. And then there's the baby to think about... A mostly gen, Xingese!AU, multi-chapter fic
1. Chapter 1

A.N. I:

'_Thoughts_'  
"**Xingese**"  
"_**Xingese Writing**_"

* * *

**_To Build a Home_**

_There is a house built out of stone  
Wooden floors, walls and window sills  
Tables and chairs worn by all of the dust  
This is a place where I don't feel alone  
This is a place where I feel at home_

* * *

In the small town of Risembool, there were many old and beautiful houses. Some were close to the centre, near to the surprisingly richly furnished town hall, and the rows of charmingly old-fashioned shops. The public house was one of the few places with permission to sell alcohol, and had a gentleman's club in one of the other downstairs rooms. Even the so-called 'red-light district' was a surprisingly well-mannered place, with its employers and employees being productive members of society. The main source of income was sheep farming, which reflected the local's attitudes.

Risembool, unlike other towns, had its own code of conduct, had had for at least sixty odd generations. It centred on the principles that land and produce were worth more than money, and bartering was mandatory when shopping for things; however if the person was one of the villagers, and could not afford the price you wanted, you helped them. Everyone in the village helped each other, and presented a united front, even if they were not. The age of your house and how long your family had been living in Risembool made up the majority of your ranking in society, though your job would count for some points in your favour. Everyone had to know the folk dance around the bonfire. Marriage contracts and dowries were the only acceptable terms for an engagement. All children had to know how to manage accounts and perform manual labour. News, be it gossip or fact, was only available from the mouths of the women in the village (be they from the red-light, the main village or the farms) but never passed to ears outside of Risembool. Above all, no family leaves Risembool without a member of their family staying and looking after their property.

So when Trisha Elric and her husband Van Hohenheim decided to up posts and move across to Xing, leaving everything to the Rockbells, their neighbours, with no blood relation what-so ever-, without so much as a buy-your-leave; the gossip level reached an all-time high. Then again, the citizens knew that the Elrics would be coming back. They all did, eventually.

* * *

The Elric house atop the hill to the east of Risembool was full of life. The windows and doors were flung open, pots of paint and bottles of cleaning fluid were dotted everywhere, and the air was filled with the hustle and bustle of a close-knit collection of people. Cases were by the door, filled with clothing, crockery and linens. The beds had been stripped bare, the mattresses cleaned and the carpets beaten. The rooms had been repainted in a light cream, with lavender and dark green furnishings. Pinako Rockbell leant on the freshly polished oak table, puffing at her pipe. Her son, Urey, had rolled up his sleeves to assist in washing up the bowls and plates that it had been decided were to remain here; whilst his pregnant wife Sara sat at the large armchair, her feet resting on a stool to save her swollen ankles. Van Hohenheim, balancing a large stack of clothes, kicked his way through the door, putting them in a large pile by his own partner. Trisha was neck –deep in suitcases, frantically packing and re-packing. Her lilac top hid a round, pregnant stomach of her own.

"Did you get the suits?" asked Trisha, snappishly.  
"Yes, dear," smiled Van, kissing her softly on the forehead, feeling as she leant back onto him.  
"Sorry, love, I'm just panicking. Who knew moving was so stressful?"  
Sara Rockbell laughed at her friend. "Why are you moving away anyway, Trish? I thought you liked it here in Risembool!"  
Her mother-in-law joined in. "Yeah, Hoho. What about me? I was under the illusion that we were _friends_! Why spring this on me suddenly? We were reminiscing about the good old days when we miss-spent our youth at 'The Silver Boar', when suddenly you told me "Oh, by the way, Trisha has informed me that we're moving to Xing, so you can have our house until if or when we return, sorry, I've got to go now, bye!" So, _why_ exactly are you going to Xing?"

Trisha and Van turned to face them as one, leaning on the suitcases in an easy fashion. The Rockbell women were smiling dangerously, daring the Elrics to explain, and warning them not to disappoint. Urey Rockbell stood to the side, preparing to referee and interfere as needed.

"We chose-" began Trisha. "You chose, Trish, not me. I just went along with it," joked Van, his hands already up in surrender. She glared, and started again. "_I _chose –happy now? Good.- to go to Xing for many reasons. Firstly, their exemplar education system." Trisha was falling into lecture mode, after being a teaching assistant at the local school; she was fully able to use her skills practically. "Whilst here, we have large classes of mixed age groups with very simple lesson plans and no great curriculum, in Xing it is required that until you are able to pass at least two written exams before you can leave for work. Basic self-defence is taught and even the 'lower class' is given these key opportunities"

Sara interrupted her. "Their system of government means that once you are placed in a class, you and future generations are stuck in the same class, and cannot better themselves except through marriage. How do you plan to combat this?"

Trisha smiled. "That was, in fact, my next point. We are going there with a merchant's right, therefore we will run a shop. This automatically makes us middle class, either edging top or bottom depending on what goods we offer-"  
"-Yeah, what are you planning on doing?" snorted Pinako, putting more tobacco in her pipe.  
Trisha glared. "I was getting there! Now, there is no such thing as Alchemy _as we know it_ in Xing. They have an imitation called Alkahestry, which is primarily a medical practise. This means that the market is open for other forms of alchemy, such as fixing things, making weapons and teaching theory. That'll be Van's job." Her eyes gleamed with pride for her lover, whilst Van blushed. "_I_, on the other hand, will be offering my teaching skills in the form of dressmaking classes and cooking classes, as well as selling such to the people. I think an Amestrian-style food store would go down well." She smirked which looked surprisingly at home on her skin, whilst Pinako nodded in acceptance.

Van started talking now, "As you well know, here the supply of doctors does not meet the demand. This is very different to the way it is in Xing, since over there their primary occupation is doctoring. On a side note," he interrupted himself, "it's a damn shame we aren't on better terms with them, since a lot of Xingese people could do with jobs, and we do really need more medical practitioners. Anyway, back to my point. I want the best care for Trisha that I can possibly afford. Granted, you _are_ the best here," he looked apologetically at the surgeon family that had practically adopted him, "but the Xingese are just that much better."

Urey and Sara gave stiff nods, resolving to take a trip to Xing once the baby was born, not only to see their friends, but to study their techniques. Pinako continued, "And your last reason?"  
"Wh-whaa-what?" said Van, looking for all of Amestris like a child that had just gotten caught with his fingers in the proverbial 'cookie jar'. Pinako raised her eyebrows. "I know you, Ho. You need four good reasons before you do something, no more, no less. It's one of your funny little quirks. Now, what's the last reason?" Her voice left no room for argument.

"War. Amestris is constantly at war; so much blood, death and destruction. It was the making of this country, how it became great, and it seems as if the pattern is starting again." The sun drifted behind a cloud, darkening as the conversation did. Van's golden eyes dulled, filled with shattering pain and loss and age. "It will destroy us, I know it. Especially as now the military is drafting in Alchemists. Our Alchemy will revolutionise warfare. Amestris will be unbeatable."

"But, surely, that's a good thing, right?" asked Sara, worriedly, her hand moving towards her stomach protectively. Van shock his head sadly. "With Alchemists involved, it will turn out as genocide. No survivors. The opposition will be boxed in from all sides and killed mercilessly. And no alchemist will ever be the same again." He snorted. "Heck, no alchemist might ever be _sane_ again. It took me around fifty years to recover my wits after Xerxes fell."

Trisha continued, wrapping Van's arms around her, placing them on her bump. "Van is likely to get drafted. I don't want that. Then again, would anyone?" She sighed. "But Van is the strongest, practically immortal and capable of impossible alchemy. They would recruit him immediately." Her eyes narrowed her voice rough with imagined grief and anger. "I want this child to have a father."

"I understand", whispered Sara, moving nimbly as she could to join the hug, while Pinako and Urey joined in. "I just wish you didn't have to go."  
"Neither do we," murmured Hohenheim.  
"You'll visit at least once a year. Promise me." Glared Pinako, her eyes red with emotion.

"We promise. We'd never abandon family."

* * *

The journey to Xing was rough and long. They had decided to travel by boat, since the desert was too treacherous for a pregnant woman to undertake. The boat had been of Xingese design, with red sails that were an odd square-triangle shape, and a zigzag block of bunks at the back. It was not particularly large, but nor was it too small, and tickets had been quite cheap. Unfortunately the sea had been choppy and stormy. Lightning had almost struck the ship, and some of the passengers had been thrown over the side. Luckily, there was a very small number of casualties and the Elric-Hohenheims made it on time.

The couple were paused on the landing jetty at the port, trying to take in the fantastic architecture and colours before them. The dialect was musical, even with all the traders shouting, and there was a general aura of contentment. The difference between the tranquil of Risembool and here was vast. Van steered Trisha through the crowd, pausing to translate some key phrases and make small talk with various stall owners. He eventually found a child pushing a kart with seats in it, obviously waiting for customers.

"**Hey, Mister! D'ya want a ride?**" The boy yelled, waving madly at him. He dashed forward, miraculously managing to avoid knocking people over. "**I'll take you and the Lady anywhere, Mister, please! Please?**" His dark eyes opened wide and pleaded silently.  
"**Ok, son,**" said Van gently, releasing Trisha's hand and kneeling down to look him in the eyes, pulling out a piece of paper as he did so, "**can you take my wife and I to this address?**"  
The child looked at the tatty paper, mouthing the words. "**Sure, Mister. You got money?**"

Hohenheim groaned. "How did I know that was coming… **Yes, kid. I have the money. Could you just get us to the shop as quickly as possible?**" The child smiled, motioning them into the kart.

"**Sure thing, Boss! Hold on!**" he grinned, before charging off, dust billowing out behind the kart that traversed expertly out of the market place; with Trisha's surprised chime of laughter echoing behind them.

* * *

"Oh, Van," said Trisha, gazing at their new home. "It's beautiful." She squeezed his hand, gazing at their new home with wonder in her eyes. The trees framed it, with sunlight dancing across the pale brown slated roof. It hung in arched triangles, with dragons carved onto the tops to decorate it. The red banner of their shop proclaimed boldly in gold Xingese lettering "_**Hohenheim-Elric Incorporated: Amestrian Culture for Xing**_" Already, shoppers gathered outside, looking at the opening date with interest.

"Let's look inside," Van said with a smile, pulling her down the path to the back. He pushed open the door, and peered into inside. Rooms painted the same colour of crimson, with dark cherry furnishings. Panels with cloth divided rooms in a way that let sunlight in without showing anything, going well with the cream cushions that were scattered on the seats. Trisha was looking with wonder, eyes glistening with tears of happiness, running fingers across the slightly dusty surface of cupboards with more traditional carvings in them.

Van sat down in the master bedroom, resting the cases on the little table with a vase of cherry blossom on it. Trisha sat next to him, snuggled into his shoulder. "This is the best day of my life", she whispered. Van kissed her chin gently. "As well as the day you met me, the day I proposed, when the baby's born…" He teased.  
"Va-an!" she grinned, before kissing him, and pushing him onto the bed.

* * *

"**Hohenheim you say?**" said the Emperor, stroking his black beard in surprise. "**I recognise that name from the personal notes of Emperors past. Watch him closely; check if he matches the description.**"

"**And if he does, your Honour?**" asked the men in masks, lined in front of him. These were his imperial guard, the best of the best.

"**Bring him to me. Alive, and unharmed. If he is who I suspect he is, we need to talk.**" He glared at his men. "**He is an important ally. Do**** not**** harm him, or anyone close to him.**"

"**It will be as you say, Emperor.**"

"**Leave my presence**", he ordered, already turning to retire.

* * *

A.N. II:

Due in part to my lack of inspiration for Incarnate, and also due to my determination to write a multi-chapter fiction; I have started '_To Build a Home._' This is another alternate universe (hah, like I can write canon fiction), with roots to canon. It is (hopefully) the first of a series, and is set pre-canon timeline anyway.

_**Blanket Disclaimer: **_**I do not own any characters/places mentioned. They belong to the franchise[s] respective owner[s]. The plot of this fan work and original characters are my intellectual property. I make no profit out of this.**

I hope you enjoy it!

Call Me Tom [Started: 13.7.12] _[Edited: 20.7.12]_

_Words: 2,446 [total]_


	2. Chapter 2

A.N. I:

'_Thoughts_'  
"_Writing_"  
"Speech"

* * *

_To Build a Home_

_Chapter II_

* * *

The Amestrian shop was a curiosity in Xing. Therefore it comes to no surprise, except perhaps the Hohenheim-Elrics themselves; that it was much frequented by every kind of person around it. Tourists flocked to eat something a bit more familiar, and that reminded them of home. It was advertised in guides, which was a very impressive feat for such a new shop. The youth of the local area regarded it as somewhere 'cool' to hang out; widely considered too modern and far too different for the older citizens to willingly go. They often bought more of the 'tat' which the Hohenheim-Elrics offered, like yo-yos or putty that bounced.

The more aged of the populace did, however, visit a few times at first; though some became regulars. They were more likely to browse through the goods offered, instead of eating the cuisine on one of the tables provided. Some bought radios, others linens, whilst many preferred to converse with the strange Amestrian couple in their midst. The two were obviously very much in love, but had strange inside jokes and ideas. Mrs Hohenheim-Elric's reactions to what was considered normal in their country, such as polygamy and concubines, were particularly amusing. This was likely due to the fact that she was still learning the language, so it took a while for her to translate facts.

It was discovered that Ms Elric was pregnant, and that the pair had moved to Xing in an attempt to provide more for the child; spreading around the city in under three days, a record. This meant that many of the housewives took it upon themselves to teach Trisha how to be Xingese as best they could. Many visited regularly to converse with Trisha in their own language, making her practically fluent in no time at all. Some invited themselves for tea, while others made Trisha and Van meals and brought clothes of all manner of shapes, sizes, materials and colours for the baby. Some even tried to set up contracts for business, as "_Ho-E Inc."_, as the youth had nicknamed it, boomed; trying in all manner of ways to integrate themselves into the Amestrians life.

* * *

"So, Trisha, have you decided on names yet?" asked 'Madam' Mei Surou, leaning forward over her tea. Her grip was tight over the cold porcelain, with her tone warm and friendly, but with an undertone of steel. She had been a mother four times over and a grandmother twice. The importance of a name in Xing's blood-based culture had been deeply engraved into her mind, and she wanted to make sure that the new resident had the importance impressed on her as well.

Trisha leant back in her chair, deeply grateful for the puffy footstool Van had had the foresight to place there for her this morning. Her swollen ankles were murder. "Yes, Madam Surou. My husband and I decided Christina or Elizabeth for a girl, and Edward or Alexander for a boy". She smiled wistfully, rubbing her stomach. She was surprised when she felt the baby moving around in response, but then the small life growing inside her was very sensitive to what was going on around it.

"They're… pretty names," decided Lui Jiang, a local beauty and socialite, the daughter of a nouveau riche merchant that had married into old money. "What do they mean?"

"Well," said Trisha, sliding into lecture mode as comfortably as she always did when questioned about her old country and culture, "Traditionally, Elizabeth means 'God's Oath'. However, in recent years in some of the other countries, it has been used for royalty or other important cultural figures. Take Aerugo and their monarchy. There was a Queen called Elizabeth there that ruled for eighty years with no conquest. It has a lot of history and weight to it, and it sounds pretty enough. Christina is simpler to explain, I suppose." She shot a small eye-smile to Van, who was carving little wooden items and serving customers, all the while keeping a careful eye on her. "It means 'Golden'. If the baby is indeed female, and inherits their father's colouring instead of mine, I think that might be a good name." She paused. "Van disagrees, but that's mostly because of his embarrassment of having something named after him. It died down a bit after I reminded him that the baby would end up with his surname anyway!" The table erupted into laughter, especially after seeing Van's flushed face. He didn't speak up in objection, instead continuing to paint the plate he held, as a group of fascinated young girls watched carefully.

"And what of the male names you mentioned?" asked Sheng Tuo, snapping Trisha's attention away from her husband. She was a raven haired and physically fit member of a martial-art specialising family, who was nearly a quarter of the way through her own (first) pregnancy. "What do they mean?"

Trisha cast her mind back, attempting to remember what Van had told her as he had gently closed the baby names book all the way back in their little house on the hill. "Umm… If I recall correctly, Edward means 'wealthy guard' and Alexander means 'man's defender' or 'warrior', and they both came from Xerxesian words originally." Trisha smiled softly, sinking into the comfy cushions on her chair, thankful that her memory hadn't let her down.

"Have you got a career in mind for him already then?" teased Sheng lightly.  
"No!" said Trisha, shocked, though realising the implications of the names almost immediately. "No. Van just thinks that men should be defenders of the oppressed and the perfect image of chivalry."  
All of the women gathered at the table snorted at that, impressed at Trisha's mimicry of the quieter of the pair's voice.

"It's a worthy cause!" Hohenheim insisted, accidentally knocking the plate he was painting onto the floor. It smashed into pieces on the floor, causing Van to revert to Xerxesian curses. Reflexively, he shot the alchemical power straight out of his body, forcing the parts to re-join together in the same pattern as before. The red light was hidden by the counter from his customers, and for those behind him his body hid it almost well enough.

"Oh, Van," grinned Trisha, trying to hide her amusement at his cursing and adorable clumsiness. "And on that note, ladies, I think you'd better return to your own men. Everyone knows that they're useless without their women!"  
"Same time next week?" asked Lui, hiding a smile behind a beautifully manicured hand.  
"Of course!" smiled Trisha, "If, of course, little one here hasn't arrived yet. The Doctors are estimating that the baby will be here within a week or two!"  
Madam Surou nodded decisively. "We shall make preparations and donations for you and your child then." Her steel grey hair bounced as she strode purposefully out of the door, with Lui and Sheng following her out.

Van moved to lean against the door, putting the plate on the nearest table. "Is it wrong to be relieved that they're gone? Because, as much as you like them and all, the old lady is really scary, one's almost a ninja, or something, and the other has ridiculous amounts of political power; and they are all trying to run your-our?-life!"  
Trisha stood on her toes to kiss the top of his head, before tying on her apron. "You poor, poor man; I'm sure any other would kill for such beautiful and influential women deigning to dine in his home!"  
"I have only need of one such woman, my love, and she is right in front of me!" replied Van, running his fingers through his wife's hair before loosely pulling it back in one of the side ponytails that she favoured.  
"Well, aren't you slick, handsome?" smiled Trisha, her breath warm across his lips, before she gave him a quick kiss and went off to stand before the customers.  
"Go and get some rest, Van! You _deserve_ some down-time!"

A laugh and a smile on his lips, Hohenheim slipped out of the house-turned-shop, nodding to a fair few people, on his way to the local bookshop.

* * *

"My liege," murmured the masked man as he knelt on the stone tiles before his emperor. "I believe this Hohenheim to be the man of legend." The black bearded man nodded, as if confirming a belief he had held privately. An advisor, one of the brothers to a favoured empress called out from his corner. "And how could you tell, Guard Tuo?" he inquired. "If the emperor fails, if you were wrong, it has the possibility to directly impact his imperial majesty's current popularity; it may even cause a revolt!" The small man was growing more agitated, his hands flapping in circles that twisted his long sleeves into each other.

The guard looked up, revealing black eyes filled with intelligence. "The man refers to himself as 'Van', a highly uncommon name, especially when coupled with 'Hohenheim'-"  
"-It could be a name passed down through the family-" interrupted the advisor, balking at the cold stare the guard gave him, before the guard continued.  
"He uses Xerxesian curses and occasionally writes in the language, from what the scholars have told me. When he goes to the bookstore, he goes to the history section, buys a book and then gets out his pen and starts correcting it."

"That proves nothing," hissed the advisor, pompously drawing his robes together. The emperor raised his hand and he fell silent. "On the contrary, my friend, I feel it is quite conclusive. However, you seem like you have something else to say, Fu. What is it?"

Fu Tuo bent his head low, mask hiding the rest of his features. "My liege, he has the red alchemy of the stories, and-"  
"And?" said the Emperor, raising his eyebrows. He didn't think that the guard could've gathered more intelligence, but here was evidenced why a Tuo was in the guard, not an Emperor's hand. The Tuo family focused on assassination and loyalty to their chosen client. A Tuo in a solid job, albeit on a contract that Fu had full control over, with loyalty to Xing and its emperor, was a rarity and one the Emperor fully intended on using.

"And he has the feel of many thousand souls inside him, even though he is adept at hiding it." His emotionless tone had an undertone of pride when he said, "My daughter discovered it when she felt him mend a cracked plate."

"A man that powerful, in our country, fixing plates?" scoffed the advisor. "You believe this guard?"  
The emperor nodded slowly. With a huff, the advisor stormed out of the room.  
"My liege, would you wish me to…?" asked another guard, motioning the universal action of 'kill him'.  
"No. He'll come crawling back on his belly, and be much more willing to do what I want." The emperor smiled, a shark smile that was all teeth.

"Get me Van Hohenheim. I need to talk to him, persuade him into working with us. I need his loyalty." He clapped his hands and the guards vanished. The other advisor stepped towards him. "You have a plan, I presume?"

"But of course. How are alliances between families normally created, Advisor Wang? We need him, and we need him all of the time. There can be no question of his loyalty."

The pair chuckled together, the emperor leading with a deep belly laugh, and his advisor with a meek nervous laugh. They let the large stone doors swing close with a loud bang behind them, intent on scheming and drawing up documents.

* * *

Hohenheim was sitting by his favourite pond, with golden koi fish inside. Cherry blossoms bloomed, laughter was in the air and there was a smell of rice floating towards him. He had his book and pen out, lazily drawing lines and circles around certain parts and jotting down his comments.

He didn't notice when the ninjas appeared.

He didn't notice when one stood behind him.

Van did, however, feel the short sharp shock caused by having a pressure point pushed behind his neck, and the hard pain of having something slammed on his head. His eyes rolled comically and he fell to the ground.

"I thought that would be harder," remarked one of the younger guards.  
"Shut up and help me carry him! He's bloody heavy!" said his partner, before they vanished from sight and began the trek back to the imperial palace.

* * *

Van woke up leaning on a comfortable chaise lounge chair, made of expensive silk and stuffed perfectly. He considered his surroundings, hoping beyond hope that he knew where he had ended up this time. There was no Pinako around, so he wasn't drunk. There was no Trisha around, so he wasn't at home. There was no nature, so he wasn't anywhere outside.

'_If there wasn't this headache, I could think_', he groaned internally, before sitting up. He looked at the room. It was quite dark, with long curtains trailing to the floor. '_Are they… velvet?_' The walls were stone, and there wasn't even the illusion of a divider. There were ebony and tulip wood furnishings, as well as expensive drapery, so it was obvious that Van was a long way from home.

A servant appeared, carrying a glass of water, which she handed to Van. "Please, Sir, have a drink. His Highness, the Imperial Majesty, will see you soon."

He gazed at the glass in shock, his mouth open like a goldfish. "Do you have anything stronger than water, Ma'am? I think I might need it."

* * *

A.N. II: Hey, guys! Look at me, I'm updating at a reasonably good speed! Isn't this great?

Anyway, this chapter sets up quite a bit of background for everyone. Yes, Sheng Tuo is Fu's daughter. Fu has no last name in canon, so I made him up one. I used a Chinese name generator I found on Google, so I hope that it is at least mildly authentic.

Trish can speak Xingese, and there has been a mild time-skip of a few weeks. I'm pretty sure you don't become fluent in a few weeks, but that's the only timeframe I have to manage, so for the time-being, please assume that Van was teaching her back in Risembool, so that she had an easier time in Xing, and now she has become fluent.

So, can any of you guess the emperor's plan? If you think you know, drop me a review!

On that note, thank you to Moonlit Water Sunny River, Joker Oak and Violetlight for reviewing, and all of the others of you for reading, favouriting and alerting!

Thank you and I hope you enjoyed!

-Tom [Started: 22.7.12] [_edited: 24.7.12]_

_Words: 2,438 [Total]_


	3. Chapter 3

A.N. I:

'_Thoughts_'  
"_Writing_"  
"Speech"

* * *

_To Build a Home_

_Chapter III_

* * *

"Hello, Mr Van Hohenheim. Or do you prefer the title given to you in our legends; the beloved Western Sage, who holds the secret to immortality, alchemy and alkahestry within his remarkable mind. Please do not bother trying to conceal your true identity from me. There are many ways to recognise you and the fact you are still using the same alias after over four hundred years is dreadfully sloppy."

Here, the intimidating and yet small of statured figure of a man paused for breath, obviously picking his words carefully, trying to judge how far he could push the immortal in front of him before Hohenheim would push back. Van frowned from his position on the floor. He had kneeled as soon as the large doors had swung open theatrically, taking his cue from the servants around him. When the Imperial Majesty of all of the empire that was Xing strode in confidently, wrapped in expensive cloth that made him look like a particularly shiny beetle, Van had wanted to either laugh or sigh at the man's expense. However, now he had begun to talk, Van had a bad taste in the back of his mouth. He rubbed a hand across his face and stood up shakily, remembering that he had been _kidnapped by the Emperor_.  
'_God, Trisha will either be very angry or find this far too amusing.'_

* * *

Some of the servants started whispering, scandalised at the man daring to stand before their Emperor. The Emperor was using ceremonial Xingese, a formal variation of the language that was dying out but the golden man before them seemed to understand. He held up a hand to interrupt the Emperor- something that could be a **death sentence** in some places- and started talking in the odd dialect. "What do you want from me, honoured Imperial Majesty? It must be important; otherwise you wouldn't have me brought here straight away." Hohenheim looked directly into the Emperor's eyes, showing his seriousness. "I warn you; I am no weapon, I am no advisor. I will keep the woman I love- any threat to her will end with the battle of the throne taking place sooner than expected."

The Emperor raised his head, trying to keep at eye level with Hohenheim and not show any sign of being intimidated. He had suspected that the man would want to keep his lover safe at any cost, and he still had maneuverer room to influence her via bribery. It was a shame that he could not use Hohenheim as a soldier, though to be honest to himself he had never expected the man to agree to it. He briefly entertained ideas of having Hohenheim invade Drachma and Amestris for him with the rest of his army- the opposition would likely be crushed instantly. He sighed, and began speaking in a pleasanter tone.

"What I wish of you, Western Sage, is a deal that would benefit us both significantly. I may be sovereign of the country you are now a citizen of, but _you_ could probably get away with defying me. I want insurance that you do not, and that you stay in this country."

"And what is my benefit to this deal?" asked Van, cautious and curious. He had played in political games before, and this appeared to be a delicate one, if one that had very little of the signature perversion of truth that marinated politics.

"You, your wife, and the child she is carrying, as well as any future children, will have a significant raise in status; as well as having access to my own private resources, including my library, which is widely considered the largest and most comprehensive private collection of books around."

"And how do you plan to go about it?" Van almost salivated at the thought of the Emperor's private library. He had placed all the notes he had been able to save from the ruins of Xerxes there, four hundred years or so ago, and there had been dozens of scrolls that he had not been allowed to go through the last time he had been. He desperately wanted to visit again, and felt prepared to crawl on his belly to do so.

A wolfish, predatory smile appeared on the Emperor's narrow face. "Through our children, my dear Hohenheim. That is how I plan to go about uniting us, so we share our benefits: though our respective heirs."

'_I am a very, very bad man and Trisha is going to kill me.'_ Van thought, before entering negotiations, as well as finding out what the Emperor meant when he said 'uniting' in that ominous way.

* * *

"You **traded** our yet to be born **child** for **LIBRARY ACCESS**! You, Van Hohenheim, have a lot of explaining to do, or I will tear out and _beat you with your __**spine **__while I feed your __**liver**__ and __**eyes**__ to you_!"

Trisha Elric, all five foot seven of her, was glaring at her partner, breathing heavily and waving a large serving spoon around angrily. If looks could kill, Van's philosopher stone would have been used up a long time ago. She was scary, like a mother tiger protecting her yet to be born cubs from any and all dangers, with blood-stained canines and claws. Van gulped. He may be immortal, but that left the idea that Trisha could, and possibly would, follow through with her terrible, bloodthirsty threat.

"Well, you see, he put up a very, um, a very good argument, Trish!"  
"Don't you Trish _me_, Hohenheim of Light! It'd better have been a fucking GODLIKE argument, or, so help me, I'll-"

Van stepped back, rifling in the bag he had with him at all times. He pulled out a sheet of paper, filled with elegant cursive words. The Emperor's stamp was at the top, all elaborate wax stamp with ivory and gold-leaf inlay. "_Agreement for the Future of Hohenheim-Elric Family"_

"-You bloody bastard!-"  
"Just take a look at this, Trisha." His voice was soft, his eyes pleading. Trisha relented somewhat.  
"This had better be a damn good read, Van." Trisha glared, her eyes involuntarily softening, before she started to read the document he had placed in her hands.

* * *

"_Agreement for the Future of the Hohenheim-Elric Family_

_Upon the invocation of this contract, Trisha Elric and Van Hohenheim have the titles of Lord and Lady, as well as retaining their prior merchant status. They gain the privileges of dining with the Emperor on a regular occasion (to be determined in a later document), as well as unparalleled access to any facility they chose, including the Emperor's private rooms._

_If the first born child of the Hohenheim-Elric family is _female_, she will be betrothed to the male offspring that is closest in age and is most desirable to the Hohenheim-Elrics. If later on the male does not please the family, they may choose another, however the Emperor has final say on the matter. In growing older, she will be trained in the female arts and Xingese culture, as well as riding, archery and the healing arts. If the Prince she is marrying becomes emperor, she will hold the title of empress and be seen above the rest of his wives._

_If the first born of the Hohenheim-Elric family is _male_, he will be an aide and adviser to the male offspring that is closest in age. He will be given the position of Lord, and be considered equal to the Prince that he is raised with. He will be an able bodyguard, and hopeful friend and rival, to the prince. They will share lessons in combat, politics, basic alkahestry, culture, mathematics and athletics. The Hohenheim-Elric offspring may also be trained by his family in their own techniques._

_In both cases, the Hohenheim-Elric offspring becomes part of the Clan of the prince that they are joined to, as well as being provided for by their servants, doctors, tutors and other members of their household._

_The second born Hohenheim-Elric offspring, and the offspring after that, will also be betrothed to a prince of the parent's choice, however, if the second (or latter)-born is male, they may be betrothed to a princess, instead of being a Lord and advisor._

_The Hohenheim-Elric couple remain clanless, and neutral, so may interact with the other clans as they so please without fear of civil war or other political waves."_

* * *

"So, all of our children will be Lords and Ladies, or even Princes or Princesses?!" asked Trisha excitedly, bad mood gone so quickly that Van almost jumped in surprise. She read over the paper again, mouthing the words almost aloud to herself in such a fashion that she looked like one of the koi from Van's 'meditating pond'. She squealed, and jumped, before hugging Van tightly.

"This is like a mother's dream come true- oh, wait until I tell Sara and Pinako, they'll be _so _jealous!" Her laugh filled the air, before she kissed Van hard on the lips. "You beautiful, beautiful man, how **do** you do it?" Her head was on his chest, her hands tangling in his hair excitedly. Van gently removed them, and kissed them lightly, glad of her hands' softness and warmth.

Van smiled lightly, feeling very glad that he had been forgiven, and swirled his brown-haired goddess around the kitchen area of their small house in gratitude. They gracefully avoided the obstacles and danced into their living area with all of its chairs.

'_Should I ruin the mood and point out that we're now involved in not only the issue of succession, but also have to visit the Emperor very often to discuss matters, as well as the fact that he controls the final say on the betrothals? __**No, **I don't think I will**.**__ I don't want her to be upset with me again, and the things that she doesn't know, won't hurt her. At least, I hope."_

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the dark turn that his thoughts had taken."Trish, my love, you know that that piece of paper says that **you** are a Lady as well?" His tone was light and teasing, as he kissed the tip of her nose with a smile.

Trisha's eyes rounded in shock, glistening with happy tears, and she sat down with a bump on her comfy chair.  
"Gods, Van. When I said we'd be better off in Xing, I didn't think it would be this much better. Are we in a sort of dream world? Where my every wish is granted? I don't think this day could get any better!"

Van snuggled his face into her hair, his long gold strands mixing with her chocolate ones. He found her thoughts and reactions terribly amusing. He had known that his love was a romantic of course; that had been how he had wooed her, after all. But to react like this, over titles promised? He wouldn't have really pegged her for one to care about it. Van shook his head slightly, tickling Trisha's ear, before he stared rubbing circles on her belly in a downward spiral, comfortingly and relaxingly. She could feel him through the soft material of her t-shirt – for February, it really was very warm. Trisha sighed contentedly, before she got a sudden feeling of wetness in her underwear, and not the sort of wet she really was used to Van provoking.

"Van?" she asked shakily, as she felt the baby move inside her.  
"Yes, love?" Van stopped his stroking, puzzled by her tone of voice. Had he done something wrong?  
"How soon can you get a midwife here? I think my waters just broke."  
"Ah." Van responded, momentarily dumbstruck. He grabbed his coat and hat, and started sprinting into the night air, not even bothering to close the door.

Edward Elric was born on the eve of February third 1899, after a complex twenty-four hours of birth. He weighed four pounds, two ounces; and was fifteen i

* * *

nches long, which is smaller and lighter than the average new-born. He had little sprouts of golden hair, and gold eyes- something which greatly confused the doctors as new-born babies were supposed to have blue eyes.

"Oh, Trisha," murmured Van softly, reverently, "He's beautiful." Alchemy had always held mothers in great regard, as no alchemy could ever create life. Oh, there could be imitations, pale illusions of the vibrant colours of nature, but not full life. There was a reason that it was taboo to try human transmutation, the impossibility of finding the secret to creating a soul, and embedding it in a perfect body. Alchemist revered mothers because they could do what science could not.

Trisha looked up at him, eyes exhausted but full of love and hope. "Do you want to hold him?" she asked with her hands ready to pass the sleeping babe to him. Van nodded. She passed Edward over to him, instructing him in a soft voice how to hold him. He felt the lightness and fragility of the child in his arms, the softness of his skin, and the delicate tufts of hair that tickled Van's palm. He almost gasped as Ed turned in his sleep to grip Van's little finger with his whole hand. Van almost gasped, his heart swelling as his child (and wasn't that an odd thing to be able to say) snuggled against his chest.

"Hey, Edward," he whispered, "I'm your Dad. And that lovely lady is your Mum, even though she may look more like a goddess than a human." Trisha stifled her laughter, before adding to her boyfriend's speech. "We both love you very, very much, my darling. Sleep well and sweet dreams."

* * *

A.N. II: *Dodges shots*. I truly am sorry for how long this chapter has taken me. The previous week, I was at a camp, then I had homework to do (and still have loads), then I didn't have inspiration and then I decided since it was sunny I would leave my house. On another note, who watched the Olympics? I was so pleased with our opening and closing ceremony- they were wicked! I was particularly impressed with Eric Idle, who is truly amazing.

Apologises for not knowing: Trisha's height, how to write an actual contract, Ed's actual canon birthday [this is the most agreed version I could find on the internet], and how new-born babies work.  
This was me improvising, and if any of you guys know and could tell me, that'd be great.

So, can anyone guess which prince Ed will be paired up with {not like that!}? Clue: it's the only prince from Xing we see in canon! xD Soon you get fluff of the infant playing kind, instead of this dull stuff! C:

Belated thanks to: Violetlight , Beckett Simpleton , Maruki Shitoichi and Joker Oak.

If I didn't reply to your reviews last time, I'm sorry, and I really appreciated them. Sorry for being really, really late with this chapter.

Thank you and I hope you enjoyed! Please continue to review!

-Tom _[Finally finished 16.8.12]_

_Words: 2,512 [Total]_


End file.
